The Fall of Gil Galad
by Elros Tar-Minyatur
Summary: A story about the defeat of Sauron which ended the Last Alliance and the second age, but mainly of the fall of Gil-galad, the Elven King.


Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR, but it is my goal to do so someday.  
  
Gil-Galad was an Elven king,  
  
Of him the harpers sadly sing-*  
  
Gil-Galad, last High King of the Noldor, looked up at the towering pinnacle of Orodruin, the Mountain of Fire. He looked over to Elrond Half- elven, his herald, upon his left side, and Círdan the Shipwright on his right. Beside him stood Elendil, with his son Isildur at his right hand. Before them stood six Olog-hai, last survivors of Sauron the Deceiver's personal guard. They stood at a crack, lintel and threshold carved into the living rock to form a door into the Sammath Naur. This was where Sauron would answer the challenge of the Leaders of the Last Alliance, one of his last Strongholds.  
His last, actually. Gil-Galad had ordered his troops into an all out assault upon the Barad-Dur. Many would die in this last attempt, but they might lessen that number by slaying Sauron.  
  
The last whose realm was fair and free,  
  
Between the Mountains and the Sea,  
  
He grasped Aiglos his spear tighter. He would not fall here, never again to see fair Harlindon in the springtime, never again to wander in the fields of Forlindon. He would do his Fathers proud. He would destroy the last emissary of the great enemy they had fought an age ago. He would make his kingdom truly free from Evil, to live out the life of the earth in peace and quiet.  
Elrond tensed behind him. Gil-Galad knew that Elrond hated Sauron with a passion, but the two had never met face-to-face. It was only natural for Elrond to be nervous, and Gil-Galad dismissed it as nothing.  
  
His sword was long, his lance was keen,  
  
The shining helm afar was seen;  
  
The countless stars of heaven's field  
  
Were mirrored in his silver shield.  
  
Gil-Galad was clad in armor crafted by Fëanor, his ancestor from long ago. It was golden, stained with dirt from a seven year siege. He kept a long sword sheathed, keeping Aeglos close at hand, ready to smite down the last great evil of Middle-Earth.  
He took a deep breath, let it out slowly. He was ready, ready to battle 'til the world's ending. He would go to whatever end awaited him.  
  
But long ago he rode away,  
  
And where he dwelleth none can say,  
  
A lone drum beat from deep inside the active volcano, picking up pace as it went on.  
Doom-doom, doom. Doom-doom, doom, doom-doom-doom, doom-doom  
Doom-doom-doom-doom-doom-doom-doom-doom-doom-doom DOOM!  
And with that last doom, Sauron walked slowly from the Crack of Doom. His crested helm rose high above the red eyes, which turned the gaze of all but those gathered here. The Olog-hai backed away from their master in fear. Sauron turned to the Leaders of the West, and swung his mace level with his face, in a salute.  
Elendil hissed, "I will smite thee down Sauron, in return for what you have done to my people."  
Sauron smirked, invisible beneath his mask, "I would like to see thee try, Elendil the Tall," he paused, "Son of that bastard fool Amandil."  
"For that you shall pay!"  
Elendil sprang into battle, Narsil held on high, and his son moved to the right, sword glinting red in the light of Sauron's eyes. Battle was joined; Sauron swung his mace at Elendil, who caught it on his shield.  
"Avi-i-eldar!!" cried Elrond as he sprang at the Dark One, Círdan with him. Gil-Galad readied himself. Finding his center, leveled Aiglos at the level of Sauron's chest, and sprang in.  
The combat was frantic, harried. Gil-Galad found himself madly parrying, attempting to give the others a chance to strike Sauron down, but the others were engaged as well. It went on like this for several minutes, and Círdan was forced out, his shoulder shattered to fragments by the mace of Sauron.  
Gil-Galad realized that they could not win this way. He leveled Aiglos for what he knew to be the last time.  
"Avi-i-eldar!" he cried, and flung himself upon Sauron. He took two hits to on the left side of his chest, but he made it in to stab Sauron in the stomach. The only response he received was a grunt, and the great mace struck him in the head, and he knew that he was dying. He fell back, smoldering.  
  
For into darkness fell his star,  
  
In Mordor where the Shadows are.  
  
"NO!" screamed Elendil in despair, and he charged Sauron again. He too took the mace to his head and he crashed against the wall of Orodruin. Isildur ran to his side, removing his helm,  
"Father!"  
But Elendil was already dead. Sauron reached down to grab Isildur, and the man reached for Narsil. But Sauron shattered them with a stamp from his booted foot. Isildur, full of desperate strength and rage, sliced the fingers off of Sauron's right hand.  
"NOO!!!!!"  
Sauron's last cry was desperate, and empty. He blew apart as the finger with the one ring left his body. Elrond ran over to Gil-Galad. Tears filled his eyes.  
"My lord. . . "  
Gil-Galad lifted his hand to touch Elrond's cheek. "Do not be sad my friend. Sauron and Morgoth are ended for ever. I will die as happy as I may. Here," with much effort, he removed his ring from his finger, "Take this, the dead have no use for such things." And with that, the last High King of the Noldor burst into flames and thusly passed from the realms of the living.  
  
For into darkness fell his star,  
  
In Mordor where the shadows are.  
  
In Mordor where the shadows are.  
  
The End  
  
*Excerpt from "The Fall of Gil-Galad", as translated from Quenya by Bilbo Baggins. 


End file.
